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It wasn’t that long ago that home sellers believed that using gray, white or beige interior paint schemes would sell homes faster. This was because these colors are neutral and the belief was that potential buyers could imagine their furniture in the home easier. However, studies showed that a warmer color palette with reds and yellows worked much better because the home felt more alive than with neutral or even cool colors such as blues or greens and professional house painters have taken heed. Continue Reading →

Aging paint can develop a yellow cast, most noticeably in the dried films of white paints or clear varnishes.

What Causes It?
One cause of yellowing is the oxidation of alkyd, oil-based paint or varnish. Heat from stoves, radiators, and heating ducts can also lead to this condition.Finally, a lack of light (e.g., behind pictures or appliances, inside closets, etc.) may lead to yellowing.

How to Solve It
Top-quality latex paints do not tend to yellow, nor does non-yellowing varnish. Alkyd paints, because of their curing mechanism, do not tend to yellow, particularly in areas that are protected from sunlight.

Note: Images provided by The Rohm & Hass Paint Quality Institute.

When uncured paint forms a skin, it can wrinkle, making the surface appear rough and crinkled paint.

What Causes It?
Wrinkling can occur is you apply paint too thickly (more likely when using alkyd or oil-based paints).
Painting during extremely hot weather or cool damp weather causes the paint film to dry faster on top than on the bottom, which can lead to wrinkling. Uncured paint that is exposed to high humidity levels is also susceptible to wrinkling.Another possible cause of wrinkling is applying a top coat of paint to insufficiently cured primer.

Finally, painting over contaminated surface (e.g., dirt or wax) may also lead to this condition.

How to Solve It
Scrape or sand substrate to remove wrinkled coating.

If using a primer, allow it to dry completely before applying top coat.

Repaint the area (avoiding temperature or humidity extremes), applying an even coat of top quality exterior paint.

Note: images provided by The Rohm & Hass Paint Quality Institute.

Surfactant leaching appears as tan or brown spots or areas, and can sometimes be glossy, soapy, or sticky.

What Causes It?
All latex paint formulas will exhibit this tendency to some extent if applied in areas that become humid (bathrooms, for example), especially in ceiling areas.How to Solve It
To solve surfactant leaching, wash the affected area with soap and water, and rinse. The problem may recur once or twice before the leachable material is completely removed.

When the paint is applied in a bathroom, allowing it to dry thoroughly before using the shower may be helpful.

Remove all staining before repainting.

Note: Images provided by The Rohm & Hass Paint Quality Institute.

Sagging is a downward “drooping” movement of the paint film that occurs immediately after application, resulting
in an uneven coating.

What Causes It?
Sagging is caused by a number of conditions:

• Applying a heavy coat of paint.
• Applying paint in excessively humid or cool conditions.
• Applying paint that is over-thinned.
• Applying paint by airless spraying with the gun held too close to the substrate that is being painted.

How to Solve It
If paint is still wet, immediately brush out or reroll it to redistribute the excess evenly.

If the paint has dried, sand and reapply a new coat of top-quality paint. Do not thin the paint, and avoid applying paint in cool or humid conditions. Sand any glossy surfaces before application.

Paint should be applied at its recommended spread rate to avoid “heaping on” the paint.

Two coats of paint at the recommended spread rate are better than one heavy coat, which can also lead to sagging. Consider removing doors to paint them horizontally.

Note: Images provided by The Rohm & Hass Paint Quality Institute.

Roller spattering occurs when a roller throws off small droplets of paint during application.

What Causes It?
One obvious cause of roller spattering is overloading the roller or overworking the paint once it is applied.Roller spattering also tends to occur when an exterior paint is used on an interior surface or if lower grades of latex paint are used.

How to Solve It
Higher-quality paints are formulated to minimize spattering. Using high-quality rollers that have proper resiliency further reduces spattering.

In some cases, a quality wall paint may be preferred for ceiling work, to ensure maximum spattering resistance.

Working in three-foot-square sections, apply the paint in a zigzag “M” or “W” pattern and then fill in the pattern, which will also lessen the likelihood of spattering.

Note: Images provided by The Rohm & Hass Paint Quality Institute.

Roller marks or “stipple” is an unintentional textured pattern left
in the paint by the roller.

What Causes It?
Roller marks can result if the paint is applied using an incorrect or low-quality roller cover. Using an incorrect technique can also lead to this condition.Finally, lower grades of paint are more prone to having roller marks appear.How to Solve It
When applying paint, make sure you use the proper roller cover. Avoid too long a nap for the paint and substrate. Use quality rollers to ensure adequate film thickness and uniformity.

High-quality paints tend to roll on more evenly due to their higher solids’ content and leveling properties.

Pre-dampen roller covers used with latex paint and shake out any excess water. Begin rolling at a corner near the ceiling and work down the wall in three-foot-square sections. Spread the paint in a zigzag “M” or “W” pattern, beginning with an upward stroke to minimize spatter. Then, without lifting the roller from the surface, fill in the zigzag pattern with even, parallel strokes.

Do not let paint build up at roller ends.

Note: Images provided by The Rohm & Hass Paint Quality Institute.

Paint that fails to resist absorption of dirt and stains suffers from poor stain resistance.

What Causes It?
Porosity can lead to this condition. So, using of lower quality paint that is porous in nature or applying paint to an unprimed substrate can both lead to poor stain resistance.How to Solve It
Higher quality latex paints contain more binder, which helps prevent stains from penetrating the painted surface, allowing for easy removal. Priming new surfaces provides maximum film thickness of a premium top coat, in turn providing very good stain resistance and removability.

Note: images provided by The Rohm & Hass Paint

Poor sheen uniformity leads to shiny spots or dull spots (also known as “flashing”) on a painted surface.

What Causes It?
Unevenly spreading the paint as you apply it or failing to maintain a wet edge, which can lead to lapping, are two common causes of poor sheen uniformity.This condition can also develop if a porous surface or a surface with variable porosity was not properly primed before the paint was applied.

Solution
New substrates should be primed and sealed before applying the top coat to ensure a uniformly porous surface. Without the use of a primer or sealer, a second coat of paint will more likely be needed.

Make sure to apply paint from “wet to dry” to prevent lapping. Often, applying an additional coat will even out sheen irregularities.

Note: images provided by The Rohm & Hass Paint Quality Institute.